Cadbury recalls Chocolate Eclairs in wake of Chinese milk scandal

Confectionery giant Cadbury has withdrawn 11 products made in China, one of which – Chocolate Eclairs – is sold in Australia.

Cadbury instigated a precautionary recall of Chocolate Eclairs from retailers shelves yesterday afternoon after preliminary tests revealed melamine, the chemical at the centre of the milk scandal, may be in the product. The company added that Pascal Eclairs, which are made in Australia, were not affected by the recall.

The amount of melamine found is not yet known, but FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand), which has supported the voluntary recall, believe heavy consumption for an extended period of time would be required to cause any ill effects. Melamine, in low quantities, is not considered a health threat.

“We have received results that cast doubt on the integrity of a range of our products manufactured in China,” a company statement advised. “As a result, we believe it is appropriate to take a precautionary step to withdraw from the market all of our Cadbury chocolate products that were manufactured in our Beijing plant.”

The recall of the 180-gram packets of Chocolate Eclairs brings to two the number of products affected in Australia, following last week’s precautionary recall of White Rabbit Candies – a popular confectionery product imported from China.

The scandal, caused by the adding of melamine to milk products to ensure the protein content appeared higher, has rocked the dairy industry in China and led to four deaths, with over 50,000 infants falling ill.

Police in Hebei province have arrested a further 22 people and seized more than 480 pounds of melamine in recent raids, the official Xinhua News Agency has reported.